Port Canaveral check in times-strict?

[zanydoc]

Lately, how strict have they been about checking in during your assigned time at Canaveral? Particularly Indy? I booked a last minute and as a result got a semi-bad check in time. For me anyway! I prefer to get in and get going on the 1st day of the cruise. Are they still being sticklers or is it more relaxed now? Thanks! 

[FireEMT978]

9 minutes ago, zanydoc said:

Lately, how strict have they been about checking in during your assigned time at Canaveral? Particularly Indy? I booked a last minute and as a result got a semi-bad check in time. For me anyway! I prefer to get in and get going on the 1st day of the cruise. Are they still being sticklers or is it more relaxed now? Thanks! 

When I went out on Harmony at the end of May, they were very strict about your times.

[island lady]

Yes...very. 

[Ashland]

Interesting....because when we went on end of April they weren't at all...No one was asking. They were more concerned about anyone needing a port vaccine test (our under age 5 grandson) was in the right line...we originally were in the suite line.

[zanydoc]

Has this been the case on Indy lately, or just Harmony? 

[Booking It]

I was there a month ago on Harmony. They were strict at the beginning before the doors opened. They had different sections to wait in based on your boarding time, and they checked each cruiser.
 

I had 10:30, and as a solo cruiser with all of my documents in hand and no luggage, they told me to go to the suite line (it helps to be prepared! 😁). So I didn’t see what happened to the people waiting in the 11:00, 11:30, etc… lines after the 10:30 people got through. Some people were in the 1:30 line at 10:00! I would imagine they got on earlier as the other lines cleared, but there’s no way they got through the doors before 11:00. Man, even an hour or so in that heat & humidity would be enough to make me stick to my time!

[GTO-Girl]

We were on the Harmony last month and they were checking.  They had lines set up for 10:30, 11:00, 11:30 and 12:00.  All others were sent to the side to wait and there were quite a few!!

 

I had a 10:30 checkin so not sure what happened after we got through…

[island lady]

All of the above.  And if you got in before...you were simply lucky.

 

Cattle gates....with check in times at the front of each.   Corralled into those sections, no place to sit, no bathroom, at least out of the sun...but not out of the heat and fumes of the garage. 

 

Anyone want to chance coming in too early to experience this?  😉 

 

Simple...arrive at your designated check in time, and avoid this ^.   

 

Or....my thing...walk next door to Grills for a Bloody Mary to wait there.  😄 

[sjb317]

We’ve cruised out of Canaveral 5 times, last one was Independence in early June.  We were surprised to find them not strict at all, no one ever looked at our checkin time and we walked right in on all of them.  
 

There was only one line going into the terminal,  no “cattle gates”  and no signs with checkin times on all of our cruises.  And we were anywhere from 50 min to 30 min early on each cruise. 
 

Sherri🙂
 

[island lady]

So you take a chance.  Do you want to risk it?  If so...go for it, but do not be surprised if you end up waiting outside when they are enforcing it.  

 

Seven times out of PC for us since restart.  All times, including the last one on Harmony this last June...had the cattle gates with some very warm and irritated pax filling those cattle gates.  

 

Now of course I always had early check in at 10:30 or 11:00.  Perhaps pax that have later check in times have not witnessed the long lines in the cordoned off sections...but we have seen them every time when early.  

 

I arrive as early as possible to get an inside spot in the garage.  First couple of times we were stuck with the outside parking when we arrived late...but that was also when the terminal had all 3 ships...Mariner, Indy, and Harmony parked there.  Now that Mariner is at T#5, (and later will be joined by Jewel there) it helps out with the parking situation at T#1.  

[ramja96]

37 minutes ago, island lady said:

Or....my thing...walk next door to Grills for a Bloody Mary to wait there.  😄 

 

I like the way you think!

 

[island lady]

1 minute ago, ramja96 said:

 

I like the way you think!

 

 

Cheers my friend.  😉  🍹

[sjb317]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

So you take a chance.  Do you want to risk it?  If so...go for it, but do not be surprised if you end up waiting outside when they are enforcing it.  

 

Seven times out of PC for us since restart.  All times, including the last one on Harmony this last June...had the cattle gates with some very warm and irritated pax filling those cattle gates.  

 

Now of course I always had early check in at 10:30 or 11:00.  Perhaps pax that have later check in times have not witnessed the long lines in the cordoned off sections...but we have seen them every time when early.  

 

I arrive as early as possible to get an inside spot in the garage.  First couple of times we were stuck with the outside parking when we arrived late...but that was also when the terminal had all 3 ships...Mariner, Indy, and Harmony parked there.  Now that Mariner is at T#5, (and later will be joined by Jewel there) it helps out with the parking situation at T#1.  

Our  official checkin times have been  between 11 and 1230, but we have gotten  there early and have gone right in, no lines, corrals, etc.  On the ship within 15 min.  Very fast.  
 

Now the port in Tampa was a different story.  They were very strict about checkin times and had the lines set up according to time.

 

Sherri🙂

[shoptom]

They did not check last Monday for Independence.

[dwp10mm]

2 hours ago, shoptom said:

They did not check last Monday for Independence.

I was going to post the same thing for this past Monday. I had 11:00 am. Due to the rocket launch traffic, I pulled into garage a little after 10:00. Walked right in the building and through security in 10 minutes. No one asked about any arrival time. Actual boarding started a little after 11:00 called by C&A status. 

[zanydoc]

I wanted to follow up after my Indy cruise last weekend...We had a Check-in time of 12:30, arrived at the port at 11:00 and basically walked directly onto the ship after 3 brief stops. First one to check passport/set sail pass and ask if we were fully vaccinated-they did not ask the usual health questionnaire questions. 2nd stop to double check passport and verify room number. 3rd stop to scan set sail pass. No one looked at our check in time or asked to see vaccine card. Easiest check in ever!

[ReneeFLL]

There’s a reason they have different check in times, but then there are people who the rules don’t apply to.  🙄

[sjb317]

7 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

There’s a reason they have different check in times, but then there are people who the rules don’t apply to.  🙄

It’s not always that the rules don’t apply, sometimes it is due to the plan not working out as expected🙄   Like in June when I was put on the wrong shuttle bus and got to port 45 min earlier than my time.  Figured I would have to wait but just walked right on.

 

Sherri🙂
 

 

 

 

[island lady]

1 hour ago, ReneeFLL said:

There’s a reason they have different check in times, but then there are people who the rules don’t apply to.  🙄

 

Exactly.   To plan on ignoring the check time assigned, is not an accident.  🙂 

 

Now...what happens when they are enforcing the check in time.   What fun to stand in line for 2 hours.  😮 

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

Exactly.   To plan on ignoring the check time assigned, is not an accident.  🙂 

 

Now...what happens when they are enforcing the check in time.   What fun to stand in line for 2 hours.  😮 

Well, sometimes there are reasons to arrive early, as you know.  Rocket launch traffic, desire good parking spot in ramp, early flights.  If people arrive early for their own reasons, they can check the situation.  If they cannot be accommodated, they can go to Grills for a Bloody Mary.

 

Recently we did not have any boarding time check before security at Terminal 1 for Harmony.  There were no gates to wait in line outside for later arrival times.  There was a short wait inside for security.  Honestly, it was starting to feel like pre-covid.
 

Edited September 24, 2022 by Starry Eyes

[sjb317]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

Exactly.   To plan on ignoring the check time assigned, is not an accident.  🙂 

 

Now...what happens when they are enforcing the check in time.   What fun to stand in line for 2 hours.  😮 

To be honest, we have done  6 cruises out of Canaveral since cruising resumed and I have never seen any one paying attention to checkin times.  I know you have more experience with this but no one ever checked the time.  There were no lines, it looked like everyone was just walking on.

 

And sometimes we were right on time, a few times were early. Being early was never intentional, we were trying to get as close to time assigned as possible.   

 

Sherri🙂

[island lady]

4 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

Well, sometimes there are reasons to arrive early, as you know.  Rocket launch traffic, desire good parking spot in ramp, early flights.  If people arrive early for their own reasons, they can check the situation.  If they cannot be accommodated, they can go to Grills for a Bloody Mary.

 

Recently we did not have any boarding time check before security at Terminal 1 for Harmony.  There were no gates to wait in line outside for later arrival times.  There was a short wait inside for security.  Honestly, it was starting to feel like pre-covid.
 

 

That's good!  🙂  We still adhered to our assigned check in times.  Just because we arrived early to drop luggage and get a parking spot in the garage...did not mean that we needed to sit and wait inside the terminal.  

 

Walking over to Grills for that Bloody Mary until our assigned time...priceless.  😉 

[island lady]

4 hours ago, sjb317 said:

To be honest, we have done  6 cruises out of Canaveral since cruising resumed and I have never seen any one paying attention to checkin times.  I know you have more experience with this but no one ever checked the time.  There were no lines, it looked like everyone was just walking on.

 

And sometimes we were right on time, a few times were early. Being early was never intentional, we were trying to get as close to time assigned as possible.   

 

Sherri🙂

 

I will still adhere to my assigned time.  It gives me that excuse to enjoy that Bloody Mary.  😄 😄 

[bucfan2]

3 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

I will still adhere to my assigned time.  It gives me that excuse to enjoy that Bloody Mary.  😄 😄 

Good for you. Others prefer to enjoy that drink onboard…good for them. 

[island lady]

13 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

Good for you. Others prefer to enjoy that drink onboard…good for them. 

 

No drinks served sitting inside the terminal before they let pax board.  😉